New world record

And did she ever! Setting a new world record in the process despite the hazardous conditions. In conjunction with her epic swim, the documentary Eating Up Easter screened at a community event two days later.

The Arizona State University will analyse the microplastic samples collected during the cleanup. The first cleanup is scheduled for 16 March at the Viringa O Tuki area’s popular surf spot.

Easter Island is a Chilean territory, located in the South Pacific Ocean between Chile and New Zealand. It is considered the most remote inhabited island on the planet, more than 2 000 miles from the Chilean coast, with the nearest island over 1 200 miles away.

The teams have landed in Rapa Nui and Sarah Fergusonza is getting ready for her attempt to be the first person to swim the entire perimeter of the island. Meanwhile, beach clean ups and educational forums with local communities are underway to get to the heart of the challenges facing this UNESCO World Heritage Site / Image via Instagram: @plasticoceanscanada

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The waters surrounding the island contain one of the highest concentrations of microplastics in the Pacific Ocean, most of which originate from sources thousands of miles away.

Microplastics and larger pieces end up at the South Pacific Gyre, also known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. In simpler terms, it’s a floating island made of plastic.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch stretches across a swath of the North Pacific Ocean, forming a nebulous, floating junk yard on the high seas. Graphic: Reefci

You may think swimming around the Easter Island is no biggie. May we point out that the risk included hypothermia, sharks, sunburn and exposure to the Portugues man o’ war jellyfish.

That said, Ferguson was well-prepared for the endeavour and arrived at Easter Island on 11 March, two days ahead of the big showdown. She explained that it was a huge challenge, but her “passion for ocean protection and rehabilitation is a strong driving force that fuels the dream.”